The present invention is directed to mast assemblies which are adapted to furl the mainsail therewithin and to a novel mast construction therefor.
As is well known, it is highly desirable to provide means for reducing the area of the mainsail in use as the velocity of the wind increases, and various techniques have been used therefor. In the roller furling technique, the boom rotates about the gooseneck fitting and the foot of the sail is rolled thereabout as the halyard is lowered. In the slab reefing technique, the sail is provided with one or more lines of horizontal reef points and clew and tack fittings, and the sail is lowered and gathered on the top of the boom at the desired line of reef points. Generally, this requires providing means for engaging a new tack position adjacent the mast and means for providing a downward and aftward force on the clew or aft end of the sail.
More recently, it has been proposed to adapt the now widely employed headsail furling technique to a mainsail and to furl the luff of the mainsail about a furling member extending vertically of the mast in order to reduce the amount of sail. Obviously this requires that the clew or aft end of the sail move forwardly as the sail is vertically furled. It has been proposed to use a mast construction with a cavity having a rearwarly facing slot opening thereinto and through which the mainsail will extend into engagement with a furling member disposed in the cavity. Exemplary of such proposals are the structures shown in Jackson U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,804 granted Sept. 17, 1974; Saunders et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,179 granted July 8, 1980; and Hood U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,790 granted May 19, 1981.
Generally such prior furling mast structures have provided a relatively narrow slot in the mast and several have required that the mast furling element be substantially larger in cross section than the width of the slot. As a result, in the event of difficulties with the assembly, access to the furling element and components disposed within the cavity has been substantially limited. Moreover, such mast cross sections have been subject to critical evaluation from a strength standpoint because of the difficulty in providing internal disposition of reinforcing and the need for locating much of the operating mechanism outwardly of the mast.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel mast assembly for internally furling the mainsail and which may be readily fabricated and readily serviced.
It is also an object to provide such a mast assembly which is relatively rugged to provide long life and which has the bulk of its operating components disposed within the sail receiving compartment.
Another object is to provide such a mast assembly which includes means for covering the mainsail receiving slot in the mast and thereby protecting the sail from ultraviolet rays and other harmful atmospheric conditions.
A further object is to provide such a mast assembly which includes means for conveniently hoisting another sail adjacent the after end of the mast while the mainsail is furled therewithin or alternate means for hoisting the mainsail.